49ers running back Tevin Coleman sustains ankle injury

1of3TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 08: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers pithces the ball to Tevin Coleman #26 during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)Photo: Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images

TAMPA, Fla. — The 49ers won the game but lost their starting running back.

Perhaps for an extended period.

Tevin Coleman was quickly ruled out after he sustained an ankle injury in the first half of Sunday’s 31-17 win over the Buccaneers. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said he is concerned about Coleman’s injury. Coleman, who was observed wearing a boot on his left foot, will have an MRI exam Monday.

Coleman, the former Falcon who signed a two-year, $8.5 million contract in March, had six carries for 23 yards and two receptions for 33 yards before he was injured. The 49ers are expected to promote running back Jeff Wilson from the practice squad this week.

Wilson had 178 yards, averaged 4.3 yards a carry and scored four touchdowns in the preseason.

“We love Jeff,” Shanahan said. “Jeff’s a great player. We’ll see what’s up with Tevin, how long he’ll be out.”

The 49ers’ healthy running backs are Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert. Breida had 15 carries for 37 yards and Mostert had 40 yards on nine carries. Mostert also had a 10-yard scoring run negated by a holding penalty.

The 49ers expected to have one of the NFL’s deepest groups of running backs. However, they had to place Jerick McKinnon on season-ending injured reserve Aug. 31 because of complications from the ACL tear that forced him to miss the 2018 season.

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In other injury news, kicker Robbie Gould was dealing with cramps when he limped off the field after making a 47-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

Disappointing homecoming: Kwon Alexander received a game ball — though he didn’t play much.

In his return to Tampa, where he spent his first four seasons, Alexander was ejected from his 49ers debut for initiating contact with his helmet on quarterback Jameis Winston at the end of a scramble late in the first quarter.

Alexander called his early exit disappointing, and he said he didn’t intend to take such a hit on Winston, who is a friend.

“I was kind of surprised because when I hit him, I thought he was still up because he pump-faked the ball at first,” Alexander said. “I’m not a dirty player like that. I play the game right. It was not intentional. … They know me better than anybody; they know I’m not a player like that.”

Alexander was active in the first 14 minutes. He had three tackles, but also dropped what should have been an easy interception. Mark Nzeocha entered after Alexander’s exit and had a second-quarter interception, along with two tackles and a pass breakup.

Bosa guts through debut: Rookie edge rusher Nick Bosa finished with a sack, three tackles, three quarterback hits and one very sore ankle. After the 49ers’ final defensive snap, the No. 2 pick trudged slowly with a slight limp.

“Just getting my ankle back,” Bosa said. “With an ankle sprain, you just have to kind of work through a little bit of pain. But I’m pretty happy that I got through the whole game.”

Bosa, who sustained a high ankle sprain Aug. 7, had Winston squared up for a would-be sack in the first quarter before Winston juked him in the backfield. Bosa dropped Winston in the fourth quarter and also was among those applying pressure on Winston’s game-sealing pick-six to cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon.

“It’s just a different type of mind-set — rushing in the NFL compared to college, especially with Jameis,” Bosa said. “He’s unbelievable at getting away from me. I have a lot to work on. Just a mind-set change. But I learned a lot today.”

Eric Branch has worked at the San Francisco Chronicle since 2011 as the 49ers beat writer. Before that, he covered the 49ers for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat in 2010. Since he began his career in journalism in 1997 in Logansport, Ind., he’s covered events ranging from archery tournaments to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.